Break
by WinterDrake
Summary: (Sequel to Burn. Fourth in series.) Noctis was given one more chance to defeat the Accursed.


**Break**

Bruised, bloodied and exhausted, Noctis sat upon the ground, staring at the aftermath of the latest skirmish. So many bodies lay strewn about, all of them human as the Daemons just dissipated upon death. He had known many of those men and women, fighting alongside them against the monsters of the endless night. The only living creatures left in the vicinity were himself and the many Daemons prowling about. None attempted to attack the Prince of Lucis though they stared at him with bloodlust in their eyes.

This battle was another crippling defeat.

Though enough of humanity was still alive to continue to fight against the Daemons, this would be Noctis's last battle. He had failed for the last time. He hoped someone else would be able to do what he hadn't been able to. Save everyone. Whether that meant somehow cleansing the Starscourge or rebuilding a new life for humanity in the darkness.

As Noctis was no longer the Chosen of the Gods that could mean that someone else might one day arise to become the next King of Light. With the outcome of this battle, Noctis hoped that would be so.

The Prince felt hollow, no emotion bubbling to the surface. He had done his best to keep his feelings in check so he would not break down again. But now that it didn't matter, he could not feel anything. Just an emptiness deep in his very soul.

Nine years.

Nine years had Noctis fought with the remnants of humanity after escaping from Ardyn's clutches. Or most likely, been allowed to leave after spending a year imprisoned by him. That year had been terrible, full of grief, self loathing, manipulation, pain and Ardyn's almost constant, taunting presence. The memories of that year were fuzzy, only in bits and pieces. There were weeks of time Noctis could not recount.

It was probably better that way. Many of the things Noctis did remember were not good. Scars and wounds across his body from Ardyn and his Daemons, some he could not recall ever receiving. His friends voices, calling out for help and cursing him for his weakness. Visions of his father, Luna, and so many others dying before him.

No, the heir of Lucis did not want to remember what happened during that year.

Noctis had not been in the most stable state of mind after Zegnautus. It had taken him a fair bit of time to regain his will to fight after everything that transpired ten years ago. But he had, slowly, until he finally found the strength to escape Ardyn and make his way out into the darkened world.

The Prince had then stumbled his way towards humanity's biggest stronghold, Lestallum. Luckily he found some familiar faces there. Cor, Iris, Monica, Talcott. These people, and many others he had met in his travels, helped him get through the trauma of what had happened to him. They did not judge him for what he had done, what he had lost, or how he had failed. They just wished him to become well again.

The Prince in turn, tried his hardest to accept his failures and the deaths of his companions. He could never forgive himself but he would force himself to move on. He would fight so the death his friends were not in vain. He would fight so he could save the people who were still left.

Even if Noctis did not have the support of the Hexathon or the Kings, he would continue. The man wanted to show them all that they were wrong. That they should not have abandoned him. The heir of Lucis could not blame them for thinking so, with everything that had happened, but he wanted to show them all the same.

He wanted to prove to his father that he was not useless. That he could do something right.

He _needed_ to prove it.

The Prince trained himself, fought alongside the men and women who braved the dark, spent most of his free time researching and trying to come up with new strategies against their enemies. He eventually became somewhat of a leader among the citizens of Lestallum.

Maybe in another life where he had not murdered Gladio and Ignis, they would have been proud to see their Prince taking charge. Maybe Prompto would have helped distract him from all the problems with his cheerful demeanor on the bad days, when all he could feel was in despair and his head ached even worse than normal. The pain in his mind was a constant presence now, whatever Ardyn had done to him leaving a permanent side effect.

But it would never be like that again. Wherever they were, the Noctis's friends might never be able to forgive him. And the man did not want their forgiveness. He wanted to atone for murdering them. He wanted their deaths to have meaning. He wanted to be able to face them in the afterlife and tell them that he had saved Eos.

But most of all, he wanted the three of them back.

But none of that was possible.

One thing Noctis learned from his time with Ardyn was what Daemons really were. That the creatures he fought and killed had once been people. It had been a horrifying realization. But despite that, he knew he could not hesitate. Daemons were human no longer.

Noctis also learned what Ardyn was, a man corrupted by the Starscourge. One able to wield its power like no other. The man never revealed to him what he really wanted and it was frustrating. Ardyn also had the ability to infect others, though he had not done so to Noctis.

Not yet anyway.

The Prince knew he planned on it, however. The Daemonic man had told him as much.

Noctis had seen the Accursed on occasion after his 'escape' but never had the immortal man tried to take him back. And he could have done that so easily.

The first time Noctis saw Ardyn again was several months after his escape. The much older man only appeared briefly to state that he had decided to allow him another chance. He would give Noctis nine years to find a way to defeat him. If the Prince could not, then he would suffer the consequences.

Noctis did not know what that man was playing at but he was grateful for the chance. He vowed to himself that he would make sure Ardyn came to regret that decision.

Every encounter since, Noctis would try to defeat the Accursed. But he always lost. He had this time as well.

It seemed as if everything the heir of Lucis had done to try and improve himself had been wasted. Every moment he spent pushing himself to exhaustion, trying to force himself to become stronger. Every moment he spent planning, hoping to come up with something that could defeat his enemy. Every moment he had _hoped._ It seemed it had all been futile. Because in the end, he had still lost.

Sometimes Noctis dreamt of them. His father, Luna, the previous Kings and even Carbuncle. They tried to speak but it was always muted and they disappeared from his sight so quickly that he could not figure out what they wanted. Sometimes they looked angry, sometimes frustrated. But mostly sad. They must have been so disappointed in him. Again, Noctis could not blame them.

Rarely, even the Gods would enter his dreams but they too did not stay long. Leviathan would open her maw, as if shrieking at him, and was always poised to strike. Shiva stared at him, looking sorrowful. It couldn't have been but the Noctis would sometimes swear it looked like she was crying. The Goddess also reminded Noctis of someone, but he could not recall who.

Titan and Ramuh would stare at him, with what Noctis felt like was condemnation. And Noctis couldn't tell what the Bladekeeper was thinking but he had seen the massive Astral for the first time in his dreams. He always tried to reach for him, his large imposing hands seemed poised to crush the Prince had he been able to. Likely Bahamut felt that a failure like Noctis did not even deserve to live.

Noctis wondered if these dreams were even real. But he felt it did not matter. The powers of his bloodline never came back. That meant the Gods and Kings continued to see him as nothing.

With this last failure, Noctis once again felt they were right.

* * *

"You've failed again." Ardyn remarked, snapping Noctis from his thoughts. The hollow feeling dissipated inside him and the beginnings of anger surged. That man's presence always had the capability to make the Prince almost mad with rage. After everything he had suffered because of him, it was not a surprise he couldn't control his emotions around him.

Noctis turned to find the older man standing casually several feet away from him. He looked no worse for wear even after fighting the former Chosen. But that may be because Noctis was not as powerful without the magic of the Crystal.

Ardyn was right though. Noctis had failed. His soldiers were all dead, and he the lone survivor. The golden eyes man would not give him another chance. The nine years were up this day. At this moment actually, as Noctis's watch chimed suddenly as it struck midnight. This was likely why Ardyn had surrounded Lestallum with Daemons a few days prior. Letting Noctis know that his time was almost up. He didn't reveal himself or have his Daemons attack until just a few hours before the deadline.

"Yeah." Noctis responded, wishing so hard that it was not so. That the years he had spent could have amounted to _something. _

The heir of Lucis forced himself to his feet with a grunt of pain. He took a deep breath and faced his enemy once more.

"You know what that means of course?" Ardyn smiled victoriously at the younger man.

"...Yes." Noctis began, taking a step forward. "I just want you to know that-"

Noctis stopped speaking and abruptly lunged at Ardyn despite his exhaustion, unsheathing a blade and quickly driving it into the man's heart. Black ichor soaked the man's clothes from what would have normally been a fatal wound. A cloud of miasma erupted as well but it dissipated quickly.

The Accursed grinned, looking rather amused at the attempt. Noctis twisted the blade, trying to get another reaction but Ardyn remained unphased. Noctis tore the blade out of his flesh and prepared to strike again. And as many times he needed. Maybe he would finally die if Noctis just keep _stabbing_ him.

The larger man just smirked he easily pushed Noctis away, just as the blade was embedded into his flesh a second time. Noctis stumbled back, almost falling over at the strength of his foe and from his own tiredness. Ardyn casually pulled the blade out of his body and tossed it away.

"You are older, but no wiser. That was a pathetic attempt. It didn't work any other time and neither will it work now." Ardyn chuckled. He motioned for the Daemons around him and they rushed to follow their master's order.

Noctis found himself tackled onto his back on the rough terrain. He let out a gasp of pain as he hit the ground. The Daemons held him there as Ardyn approached. Noctis shivered as fear began to take hold. He knew what would happen now.

Ardyn crouched down beside Noctis then. The Prince began to struggle, attempting to break free. One of the Daemons hissed and sank its claws deep into his shoulder and Noctis cried out in agony. The man stilled at the pain and the Daemon did as well, his claws still embedded.

The Accursed laughed but did not say anything as placed a hand over Noctis's heart. The touch of that man sent a shudder through the man on the ground, one of pure terror. A black mist began to form around Ardyn's hand. Noctis grit his teeth at the pain that suddenly began where Ardyn's hand lay. He could feel something flowing into him, burning as it went.

_The Starscourge_, Noctis thought, panicking. Once again he attempted to break free. A second Daemon's claws tore into his flesh but Noctis did not care at the moment. Blood flowed from his wounds as his struggling ripped further the wounds he already bore. But try as he might, the Prince could not escape.

Noctis's strength waned rapidly and pain began to overwhelm him. Blood began to soak his clothes. The man felt sick, the feeling of the disease creeping inside him making him want to vomit. He soon lost the strength to move as the disease spread further throughout his body.

Despair overwhelmed the Prince, knowing this may be the end for him. He had so many regrets. He had tried so hard. He had wanted to make up for his mistakes. He had wanted to be able to save humanity.

But that was not to be.

Tears began to run from the Prince's eyes at his thoughts.

But maybe someone else could do it. Noctis prayed to the Gods, something he had not done in ten years, that someone else could do what he had been unable to. The Gods must have forsaken him for another. He or she might reveal themselves one day. Humanity had time still. They were resilient.

"Would you like to know something interesting, dear Prince?" Ardyn asked suddenly, stopping whatever he was doing. The Daemons too, ripped their claws out of the man on the ground. Noctis uttered a small cry at the pain but he felt some relief when the burn of the Starscourge lessened. The sick feeling remained however and he could hardly move from his lack of strength.

"_What?" _Noctis spat, not really wanting to hear any more. He knew he had failed and now would become whatever creature Ardyn decided would fit him. He wondered what kind of Daemon that would be. Or if perhaps something else would happen to him. Ardyn had insinuated that he wanted Noctis aware of everything that was to happen to the world. That meant he wouldn't be turned into a Daemon, or at least not entirely.

Noctis cowardly wished Ardyn would change his mind. He'd rather become a monster than continue living with all of his failures constantly being shown in his face. The current state of Eos was his failure.

"I gave you such a considerable opportunity to defeat me. But you just squandered it, instead of figuring it out what needed to be done." Ardyn revealed, smiling slowly. "You just had to do one small thing to obtain the power you needed. I am certain you would have been unable to defeat me in the end… But it would have been rather enjoyable for this to be a little more entertaining."

"... What do you mean?" Noctis asked hesitantly, heart dropping. He _knew_ he would not like the answer Ardyn would give him.

Ardyn pulled something out of the folds of his clothes. A ring. But it was unfamiliar.

Noctis stared at in confusion.

"This is the ring you carried with you into Zegnautus all those years ago, is it not?"

"What?" Noctis denied. "No it's not. I haven't seen it in years but I know that's not the Ring of the Lucii." What was that man playing at?

"You are right, of course. This is _not_ Ring of the Lucii." Ardyn agreed. Something seemed to click in Noctis's mind. A feeling of horror began to surge within him as he recalled the events of ten years ago.

"... That isn't the Ring." Noctis stated to himself, eyes wide in disbelief. After the incident on the train, Noctis had kept the Ring to himself, never showing it to his friends. And Ignis had been blind unable to see the Ring when they had found each other in the Keep. Ardyn had been screwing with him for that long?

And if that wasn't the ring then did that mean…?

"That wasn't the Crystal either." Noctis whispered in shock.

Noctis recalled both the Ring and the Crystal not feeling right. He should have _known._ He should have suspected something but he had been too out of sorts. Ardyn was skilled at his illusions.

… Or that was what the Prince tried to tell himself. Maybe if he had been better, he would have been able to figure it out. He bet his friends wouldn't have fallen for that trick.

"They... didn't abandon me?" Noctis then asked himself softly.

"Oh no, they did not. And they tried so hard to reach you since." Ardyn answered the question though he knew it hadn't been directed at him. "You just didn't understand."

Noctis didn't even ask how Ardyn knew of his dreams. He had known too much of his thoughts, even in Zegnautus.

"And my powers?" Noctis asked, voice breaking in his despair.

"A unique little device in Zegnautus took care of that. And during your time with me, I had a small version implanted in your body." Ardyn explained as if it was just a minor inconvenience. As if he hadn't just played Noctis once again just because he could. Just because it had been _entertaining._

"All you really had to do was approach the Crystal, the real one, of course. I wasn't even going to trick you this time." Ardyn smiled.

Noctis just continued to stare at him.

"You had so much time. Why did you never try to return for it again? Did it remind you of your failures? Of the untimely demise or your friends? Or was it simply because of your own pride? You wished so much to defeat me without the help of those you had thought abandoned you. You could not beg them for help after that, could you?" Ardyn mused. "If you had gotten over that you may have saved the rest of these poor souls."

Ardyn was right again. If only he had…

"But there is no hope for them anymore. The Chosen is corrupted. The Crystal will never bestow its power one such as you." Ardyn laughed bitterly as he added. "I know that all too well."

"No…" Noctis tried to deny. He didn't know what Ardyn meant about knowing that but he didn't care at this moment. All he could focus on how he had failed. It could have been that easy? Just go back to the Crystal? That's it? Ardyn would have let him?

"You're lying." The Prince almost begged, wanting it to be a lie.

"I've no need to lie. You've failed again so spectacularly. Nothing can save them now." Ardyn responded, chuckling at the Prince's stricken look. "You are free to believe what you wish."

"I could have… I could have saved them… I just had to..." Noctis whispered to himself, tears now turning black as the Starscourge had now spread into most of his body.

Everything Noctis had done all these years had been wasted. Everything he had built for himself, everything he had worked towards. Everything he had gotten past. Everything he had strived for.

All those people he had watched die could have been saved. All these people who were still alive could have been saved.

Every death Noctis since darkness fell hit Noctis hard. Every single one had felt like it was his fault.

And it really had been.

The Gods, the Kings, his father, Carbuncle and Luna. They had tried to reach Noctis for so long. But their Chosen had been too dense, too prideful, too wrapped up in his own pity to understand something else was going on.

All he had to do was go to the Crystal. And now it was too late.

Why…? Why couldn't Noctis do things right? Why did he always fail? Why did everyone else have to suffer for his mistakes?

The Prince wished he could die like so many others had. But maybe death was too merciful for him. Maybe he deserved the suffering Ardyn would surefly inflict on him.

Noctis's mind began to regress to the state it had been all those years ago. Breaking once again. But this time, the man did not think he would have the strength to put himself back together once again.

Or even want to.

* * *

_Wasn't really planning on another part but a few scenes of this wouldn't get out of my head. Like Ardyn taunting Noctis into realizing that what he thought were the Crystal and the Ring were not really them at all. I was initially just going to have this as a really short scene of that, with Ardyn telling a Starscourge infected Noctis years later when humanity is basically too far gone to save. But then I decided to attempt another route. _

_It may have ended up getting a little convoluted so I could get things where I needed to be, but I wanted to try and have Noctis recover a bit, enough for him to try again, and then fail. I don't think it worked as well as I thought it would but I'm still going to post this regardless. You don't have to see this as a continuation as I'm not as happy as I wanted to be with this last part._

_But now I think I am finally finished with this series! ;p_


End file.
